The Zika virus is known for its ability to cause birth defects in pregnant woman. A new study, however, found that the mosquito-borne virus holds potential in fighting the aggressive form of brain cancer that killed Senator John McCain.
In the study published in MBio, researchers used an experimental Zika virus vaccine to target and kill the brain cancer called glioblastoma.
The disease is one of the most lethal brain cancers, killing more than 15,000 Americans per year. US senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy were among those who succumbed to this cancer. The average rate of survival is less than two years despite radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.
Study researcher Pei-Yong Shi, from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and colleagues explained that Zika’s ability to infect brain cells offer a new treatment option for glioblastoma.
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